How to Improve Your SAT Score

November 12, 2020 Preparation Strategies, Private Tutoring, SAT, Strategies, Test Taking Tips 0

Are you preparing to take the SAT, or are you disappointed with a previous SAT score you received? If you apply the following tips, you can figure out how to beat the SAT and become more competitive for college admissions:

1. Answer easy questions first

Answering easy questions first is extremely important – this way you can ensure more points from the get-go.

2. Don't waste time

If you spend too much time focusing on harder questions, you are wasting precious time that you could be spending on the questions you are more likely to answer correctly.

3. Rule out questions

Ruling out one or more multiple-choice questions that you know are incorrect can narrow your answer options and improve your chances of getting the question correct.

4. Keeping track of time

Time is an important factor when it comes to the SAT. You don’t want to spend too much time in a section to then realize you’ve missed another one in the process. By managing your time wisely, you are improving your chances of a higher SAT score.

5. Double-check answers

Always double-check that you’ve picked the right answer and corresponding letter. Throughout a test when you’re picking A, B, C or D constantly, it can be easy to circle the wrong letter in the spur of the moment. Double (or triple!) check that you’ve picked the right answer. Too often, students pick the wrong question by accident without even noticing.

6. Double-check answer sheet

Ensure that you haven’t answered a question in the wrong section of the scantron. If you do this, the rest of your test will be skewed. Always correspond the question number with the number on your scantron, and again, double (or triple!) check this if time permits.

7. Label skipped questions

If you’ve skipped a question, label it so that you don’t waste time trying to remember which question to refer back to. This saves time and ensures that you don’t miss going over the question altogether.

8. Use test booklet to write notes

Don’t be shy – it’s permitted to write as many notes as you need on your test booklet. Writing notes greatly improves your chances of understanding a question more.

9. Fully erase changed answers

Make sure you fully erase any answers that you’ve changed your mind on. The scantron scanning machine can pick up on your erased answer even if it still has a slight shadow on it. Be prepared with a few sharpened number 2 pencils – all with erasers on them – prior to taking the test.

Critical reading:

Sentence completion is the easiest of this passage, so try to get through these first. They also take up less time.
When it comes to a sentence completion or a reading passage if you don’t know what a word means, try to analyze the context of the sentence as well as compare similar words.
Answer as many questions as you possibly can. It’s better to do this than to skip a question as it expands your chance of getting them right.

Mathematics:

All questions require that you use a calculator, so it’s better to not use your calculator for simple calculations because of time limitations.
Drawing an example of what the question is asking can be helpful, especially if you are more of a visual learner. Even if you are not, this can still be a useful tip.
Keywords are important and will give you a clear idea of what the question is really asking.

Essay portion:

Thoroughly read the prompt and write a couple of the key points that you want to include in your essay.
It’s better to write about two examples with information to back it up than a lot of examples that don’t have a whole lot of context to them.
Don’t worry too much about length - it’s better to have a short but thorough essay than a long one with little concise information.

Tutoring

You can follow these steps, and I’m confident that they will help you to raise your SAT score – but what can raise your score significantly is getting a tutor to help you combat the SAT. By utilizing a professional who can adhere to your specific needs and go over questions that you get wrong in-depth, you are enhancing your chances of improving your SAT score greatly.

Miles Smart Tutoring, a family-owned and operated tutoring company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, provides online and in-person SAT and ACT tutoring (and so much more). Our founder and CEO, Perry Miles, has been tutoring students of all ages for more than ten years. His passion for helping others to achieve their goals is what makes Miles Smart the authentic company that it is.

Our results speak for themselves – Miles Smart Tutoring has helped students receive approximately $11 million in grants and scholarships due to an increase in test scores and has maintained a 5-star rating on Google. See what Perry Miles and our group of highly professional tutors can do to help you improve your SAT score (or ACT score). Find out more about our services by visiting our website: www.milessmarttutoring.com or by calling (813) 328-3036.

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